Presenting a temptingly delicious platter piled high with recipes for two, time-saving kitchen tips, helpful cooking hints, and winsome commentary - all served with a side of garlic-infused humor and a steaming bowl of buffoonery.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

In my last blog post I mentioned that visiting Ireland was on my Bucket List. And in doing so, I was prompted to go back and take a look at the whole list. To be honest, I was quite encouraged with my progress, particularly since I’ve always tried to cast every care to the wind and live my life to the fullest: to not only push the edge of the envelope but to lick the flap in such a way that it might induce paper cuts on my tongue.

So I thought I’d share my list with you in hopes that it will encourage you to reach for the stars as well. And because I love to cook, many of them are food related. But I also love to sing, play instruments, and act the fool, so some of those are on here as well.

Enjoy.

Warren’s Bucket List as of March 31st (With a few caveats and explanations.)

1. Push the edge of the envelope then lick it to induce paper cuts. – Check

2. Learn to not lick the salt off a margarita glass after doing so. -- Check

3. Publicly express my appreciation to then-CIA Director George Tenet for his outstanding leadership at one of the top culinary schools in the world. – Check*

*Which raised the eyebrows of the other thirty or forty people present but brought a smile to Mr. Tenet who then promised to share with me his grandmother’s recipe for pastitsio after the meeting.

4. Hike and cook along the Appalacian Trail. – Check

5. Learn to spell Appalachian. -- Check

6. Become the best banjo player in the state of Florida. – Check*

*I came close. Placed second. Not bad for a born and bred New Yorker who wouldn’t know grits from a grunt.

7. Sing background vocals on a Peter, Paul & Mary album. – Check*

*Paul Stookey lived in the neighborhood and he needed some kids to sing background vocals on the album Peter, Paul and Mommy. I was one of the ones who couldn’t outrun Mr. Stookey so they dragged me and a bunch of other slow runners to the studio. (Yes, that’s me in the lower left hand corner of the pic on the back of the album.)

8. Make my own wine. – Check

9. Yuck. Okay, make my own wine vinegar. – Check

10. Personally thank Nobel Peace Prize Winner Desmond Tutu for his great work in designing all those dresses for little ballerinas. – Check*

*Amid all the accolades he received at that small luncheon, I think mine was the most meaningful to him. At least it seemed so by the roar of his laughter.

11. Make my own mess. – Check

12. Learn to clean it up. – Check

13. Surround myself with a gorgeous wife, great family, and very patient friends. – Check.

14. Write a novel. – Check

15. Write a cookbook. – Check

16. Right a wrong. – Check

Items still yet to be done:

1. Visit Ireland.

2. Eat Jell-O with chopsticks.

3. Write a sequel to Julie and Julia about two women who run a kosher catering company in Manhattan’s diamond district. Call it: Jewry, Jewelry, Julia and Julie.

6. Walk into a Starbucks and tell them their coffee really does taste like battery acid.

7. Live to be 110 just so I can tell folk that daydreaming, single malt scotch, blog writing, roller coasters, and a strong (but woefully inconsistent) love for God are the keys to a long and happy life.

" I was one of the ones who couldn’t outrun Mr. Stookey so they dragged me and a bunch of other slow runners to the studio. (Yes, that’s me in the lower left hand corner of the pic on the back of the album.)"

How cool is that?! Sorry we only have "Paul and . . ." so I can't look for your picture. :(

@Love from Scratch. #6? Absolute! But let's put together a mob (strength in numbers you know). We can march thru town at midnight with sporks as weapons and cup lids for shields. We can wrap stir sticks in linen and set them ablaze to light our way. Heck, we'll have someone film it to show on late night cable: "Attack of the Pissed-Off Coffee Drinkers"...

@Jill. Thanks! It *was* pretty cool. And hey, I'm sorry you only have "Paul And..." (Great album by the way) But if you want a copy of "Peter, Paul and Mommy" I'll give you my mom's address. I think she bought 30 or 40 cases of records to give away to family and friends... :-)

Hi, how about Russian or Hindi, or Arabic? Something really off the wall.. that no one that you know speaks, then you'll only get to talk it to yourself, and only in your head and only you will know you made a mistake..lol I'd like to write a book, I'd call it 'Yes, she really was that bonkers' All the best, KG.

@a.maren. Chopsticks with Jell-O? Here's what I think. We need to do it and do it quick. I have a gut feeling that it will soon be all the rage. You get the sticks. I'll get the Jell-O. Then we'll meet at Johnny Chen's and go for it. Oh, and bring a photographer, we'll need a pic for our blogs. :-)

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About the Chef

is the author of the award-winning “Table for Two – The Cookbook for Couples” and the newly-released "Table for Two - Back for Seconds". Do you wish to eat healthier at home, with ingredients you can find at your local grocer, with a minimum of leftovers? Chef Warren will show you how. Got a suggestion or recipe? Pass it along. We're in this together.